Are Freemasons Evil?

There are a lot of people who think so.  Whenever I hear Masons mentioned, it is always as a put-down; brought up as an example of nutty people, or conspiracy people believing Freemasons run the world.  As everyone knows a lot of influential people in the past of America, and the world, were Masons.  And a few bad ones, too.  George Washington was a Mason: Benedict Arnold was a Mason.  In any group of this size there are bound to be a few bad apples.

So, are Freemasons evil?

I don’t believe they are.  You see–I am a Freemason.

Follow below for my story and a discussion.

I was brought up as a Mormon.  When I was 10 years old, and about to be baptized, my instructor told me that I had to say that I believed in Jesus and the miracles attributed to him.  Even at that young age I was struck by the way he didn’t say, “You have to believe”; he said, “You have to say you believe”.  I didn’t believe, but for the sake of my family I did say that I believed.

I’ve long been a compulsive reader–reading on a wide array of topics.  One of my early passions was the mythologies of different peoples.  After reading about differing world views, and creation myths, I was able to recognize myths when I saw them–and that is what I thought of the Jesus stories, and the Bible in general.  I read the Bible twice through by the time I was 13.  Walking on water, curing the sick, raising the dead; I saw all of these as metaphors for a message of helping people and leading a better life through good works.  I saw the virgin birth, and Jesus as the son of God, as the writers trying to elevate their hero above what he actually said he was, “I am the Son of Man”.

I’ve never been an atheist–I’ve had many rousing conversations with an old friend who espouses atheism.  Whenever he says, “There is No God”, my reply is always. “How the Hell do you know?”.  I’ve always seen atheists as holding just as fast to their faith as any fundamentalist–of any religion–do to theirs.  Will Rogers said it best,

And no one can know there is no god unless they can define god.

I worked many years doing construction work while drinking away everything I earned.  Once I had pleurisy; where every breath Hurt.  I wasn’t trying to commit suicide when i took all those pain pills and drank all that beer–I just didn’t care if I woke up again.  That’s when I had my  Near Death Experience (NDE).

In my experience (dream, drug-addled hallucination; whatever) the colors were Vivid.  I didn’t hear voices, but things were communicated to me in a flash of insight.

First: that suicide is wrong–not going to Hell wrong–but not the way to do things.

Second: the God-in a box thing; the vastness of God (The Almighty Grand Architect of the Universe, the Deity, the Supreme Being, Allah; whatever–names are made by humans, for humans.  I’ll use God, because its a title not a name) means that our tiny minds cannot encompass even the smallest part of God.  And, any attempts at understanding God from our frame of reference is doomed to failure. 

It was a life changing event.  I immediately quit drinking and started getting my life together.  And the all encompassing Love, Joy and utter Acceptance that I felt have left me with no fear of death.  I’m not crazy–I still fear pain–but the constant fear of the unknown, and eventual for everyone, after death has no hold on my mind anymore.  I didn’t get the whole light at the end of the tunnel thing, just the flash of insight, good feelings and hope for the future.  My best friend had the experience of floating above the operating table and watching the doctors try to restart his heart; he no longer fears death either.  There are no words in English–probably in any human language–to describe the peace that we both felt during our very different experiences, and we both know that that is what is waiting for us after we leave this place for the other–from whose bourn no traveler returns.

Years later, I saw the movie Rosewood, a good movie about a terrible event that took place in Florida in the 1920’s.  The town rioted and killed hundreds of their black neighbors.  In watching the film one part grabbed my attention.  I thought, “Wait a minute, Black Masons?  In the South–in the 1920’s?”.  I had read a few books about masonry, but had seen nothing that would explain this, so I started reexamining the history of Freemasonry.

Prince Hall lived in Boston in the mid-1700’s, he was a property owner and a registered voter.  He was also an African-American and worked in the Abolitionist movement.  He was also a Freemason.  Hall, along with other African-Americans, was initiated, passed and raised as a Mason.  Because of the intolerance of white America at the time, Hall and his fellow Masons formed what is now called Prince Hall Freemasonry, in order to continue with their craft. 

By reading a lot, I’ve been able to fine tune my bullshit detector.  After reading many different books I noticed that–although the Masons are attacked from all sides–they don’t defend themselves against these attacks.  Oh sure, some individuals may respond, but no organized ad campaigns.  It was very easy to tell which books were just vicious attacks and which were thoughtful discussions.  And, I liked what I read about the Freemasons (the books that I trusted).  Yes, they had their problems in the past, but I wanted to see what was going on today.

I walked into the Masonic Temple in Boise and introduced myself to the guy running the vacuum cleaner.  I told him I would like to talk to someone about Freemasonry.  In our short discussion he told me that Idaho was the third state where the Grand Lodge had opened formal, masonic relations with the local Prince Hall masons.  He also told me that the two states that did it before Idaho had not actually opened up as much as Idaho.  Yes, my friends, Idaho Masons have–full and open–relations with Prince Hall Masons.  And this, from a group that is known as a generally conservative bunch (conservative by nature: not necessarily by politics).  I talked to a couple more people and decided to join.  That was six years ago and I’m proud to be a Master Mason.

As far as the rumors that abound about Masons getting all the good jobs–I’ve been outsourced.  I work a crappy night, temp job.  Anyone who thinks I can just go up to some rich guy and get a good job–for just a handshake–please point this guy out.

I’m not going to tell you all the history and processes of Freemasonry; you can learn anything you want to know by reading about it–and keeping your bullshit detector on at all times.

And, for the people who’ll say, “An NDE is just the last flicker of dying neurons”–I have only this to say.  Out of all the possible reactions to dying there could possibly be–we get Peace, Love and Joy;
How Lucky Are We?  If I had one iota of that much luck I’d hit the lottery every time.

I know there are going to be people that don’t believe this story.  I know its pretty wild–a drunk druggie gets so wasted one night he trips out and joins the Freemasons. 
But, every word is true.  This is My life and I’m going to enjoy it for as long as possible.

This is cross posted at Street Prophets